With the arrival of spring, it becomes possible to estimate quite accurately the number of decisions that the justices will file by the time that they close the books on the current term at the end of July. The results have attracted more than casual interest over the past decade because of the historically small volume of cases during these years—an average of only 56 per term, and never more than 62. This compares to averages of 83, 78, and 110 for the three preceding decades, which are included in the following graph.^[1] [Continue Reading…]

The Supreme Court did not file any new decisions this week, and thus there are no changes in the standings.

The Supreme Court did not file any new decisions this week, and thus there are no changes in the standings.

Last month’s post on law-school representation rates at the Wisconsin Supreme Court prompted a question regarding women’s portions of the various findings in that piece. We can make some headway with this suggestion, because women accounted for 163 of the oral arguments given during the period—plenty for calculating meaningful percentages.^[1] [Continue Reading…]

This week, the supreme court’s filings delivered 10 points to the Gavels of the State Public Defender’s Office (for a brief, oral argument, and favorable outcome in Langlade County v. D. J. W.). It seems clear that the Gavels are staging a breakaway, and the trailing pack can ill afford to wait much longer to reel them back in.

Click here for complete, updated standings.

The surprising scale of Judge Jill Karofsky’s triumph in April’s election may well immunize her victory from legal challenges spawned by the bizarre circumstances of the voting. Thus, it does not seem premature to speculate on the impact of her arrival among the justices for the 2020-21 term. The likelihood that her opinions will differ dramatically from those of her electoral opponent, Justice Daniel Kelly, invites predictions regarding the justices’ voting in a variety of cases, including their most contentious—those decided by 4-3 votes, which is our topic for today.[Continue Reading…]

Both decisions filed this week resulted in points for contestants. The Gavels of the State Public Defender’s Office kept their position at the head of the pack with five points for a brief and oral argument in State v. Harrison. However, the Affirmed stole the show with ten points from Stafford Rosenbaum for a brief, oral argument, and favorable outcome in Pulkkila v. Pulkkila. This performance propelled the Affirmed over both the Citations and the Waivers into second place.

Click here for complete, updated standings.

This week’s decision in Winnebago County v. C.S. delivered a point to the Citations (for an amicus brief by Godfrey & Kahn) and, more dramatically, 10 points to the Gavels of the State Public Defender’s Office for a brief, oral argument, and favorable outcome. As a result, the Gavels tightened their hold on first place, and the Citations inched farther ahead of the pack in second.

Click here for the complete, updated standings.

The Supreme Court did not file any new decisions this week, and thus there are no changes in the standings.

The Supreme Court did not file any new decisions this week, and thus there are no changes in the standings.